Have you heard the term, “failure is not an option”? I know I have and most people when they say this, mean well and are aiming for success. It becomes a mantra designed to propel them forward.
But I want to suggest something different. I want to suggest that failure is an option. Most people I know who have achieved something great have actually failed or made mistakes many times, in many ways. In fact failure helps us learn. It helps us learn far more than if we succeeded every single time.
If we want team members to grow and develop, we need to create an environment that allows them to make mistakes, to fail, and to fail safely. You see, when we say that failure is not an option, we create an environment where people are afraid. Afraid to fail, afraid to step out and be innovative because it might fail, and afraid to speak openly, share their thoughts and ideas and provide input.
So, let your team know it’s ok to fail. Support them when they do and help them to positively review and reflect on what happenned, glean important learning for the future and to put what they learn into practice.
Why am I an advocate of allowing people to fail and letting them know it’s ok if they do. Well, apart from the valuable learning moments failure provides, I know that when we fail (when, not if) and it’s not ok to do so, we limit people, we limit their creativity, we limit their emotional development and growth and we create toxic environments where people feel like they must live up to unrealistic expectations, never make a mistake and always be right.
But… when we create a safe environment for people, we enable them to grow and to expand, to develop emotionally and to express themselves openly. In this kind of environment people feel validated and empowered to try again, to do more, knowing that they will be supported and encouraged by those around them.
So yes, failure can be an option if we are willing to let people learn and grow from mistakes and failures. And by providing that safe space we empower them to try again, to create and grow and get it right next time.
Jill